Friends stick together, even in death, right?
by Loleus
Summary: You know what? I don't regret that most of my friends were human, not at all. I regret that humans can't live longer, that we had to part ways earlier than I expected. I didn't worry about losing my human friends until one of them died of old age, right before my eyes.
1. Loneliness

Five hundred and twelve….that's how old I am. It may not be very old according to Kratos, who is over four thousand years old, but I prefer to think of myself as elderly and Kratos as ancient. Even so, I am considered middle-aged to my kinsmen, the half-elves. You might think that I'm lucky to live this long, but I… I think of it as a burden.

Who am I, you ask? My name is Genis Sage. I am five hundred and twelve years old. Most of my friends are dead. Heh, that's what I get for being friends with mostly humans. I had a half-elven friend once upon a time, but he did something so terrible that it caused many deaths, and he paid for it with his life.

Now I'm alone, living only with my older sister, the only non-human that is my friend. Raine says I should go find a new friend, but there is no one who is willing to befriend me. Perhaps it's because I'm a half-elf. Or maybe it's because they're afraid of my magic, that I'll yell "Indignation Judgment!" and fry them to a crisp if they come in contact with me. Some aren't afraid at all, but that's only before they find out that I'm a half-elf. Not even knowing that I helped save the world prevented them from fearing me. In fact, it made them fear me even _more_.

Either way, I am both a half-elf and a warlock, and I can't change the way I am. That's what my late human friend used to tell me. He used to say that people shouldn't discriminate others for things they can't change, and he was correct. I knew that he was right the moment I heard him say it because I experienced that sort of discrimination firsthand and I never want that to happen to anyone else. Even five hundred years later, humans and elves still discriminate against half-elves, who are neither elves nor humans. That's what I am: a half-elf, someone who is not accepted by either race.

They discriminate against people that are different, he'd said. Lloyd, you're right. You might be stupid, but you saw right through to everyone's hearts. You and Colette saw it, the fear in their eyes, and the doubt in their hearts.

You know what? I don't regret that most of my friends were human, not at all. I regret that humans can't live longer, that we had to part ways earlier than I expected. I didn't worry about losing my human friends until one of them died of old age, right before my eyes.

…Regal….I hope you find Alicia in the afterlife.

One by one, they all passed away. Zelos Wilder, a pervert who I gradually learned to respect; Sheena Fujibayashi, the best and only summoner that I have ever known; Lloyd Irving and Colette Brunel, my best friends, ones who didn't care that I was a half-elf, ones who were kind enough to treat me like a normal person from the very beginning, ones who never once looked at me weirdly because of what I am, and the ones who I grew up with.

Then finally, Presea Combatir. She died last of all. On her deathbed, she told me something that Regal said a long time ago, something that made me want to go back in time and hear again and again. "As long as you and Raine are alive, we too shall continue to live in your hearts."

What else could I reply with but the same thing I'd said a long time ago? "Yeah. I...I'll never forget you all."

Presea, you were the only person in our band of friends that was physically about my age. I admire that, despite the many horrors in your life, you overcame them all, even if it took you some time. You went through it, and that's all that really matters. I myself still can't get over the fact that you and everyone else are dead, and it's been hundreds of years ever since you guys have passed away.

I still wake up every morning expecting Lloyd to be outside training with his twin swords, and Colette watching, cheering him on. Then it becomes vise versa thirty minutes later with Colette practicing with her chakrams, and Lloyd cheering her on. Waking up early to practice every day was a routine that they'd thought up three years after the worlds were joined together, when the whole group decided to join up again after our first journey. They never quit practicing together ever since. If one was sick, then the other would still practice, with the sick one cheering the other on. Sometimes Sheena, Zelos, Regal, Raine or I would take the sick person's place, but it wasn't often that one of them wound up being ill.

I miss those days. I miss the times when Lloyd asks me to do his homework. I miss watching Zelos hit on random females, and Sheena hitting him because of it. I miss seeing Regal's fancy cooking and awe-inspiring footwork. And as sure as Lloyd loves seeing Colette's smile, I miss seeing Presea's smile.

What's funny, though, is that I never saw any of them become old. By that I mean that I never saw any of them lose their hair or get wrinkles. They aged, but their features stayed the same as when they were in their twenties (except Regal, he stopped aging physically in his thirties).

Why did that happen, you ask? It was all Zelos' fault. In secret, he signed everyone up to test youth gels, which were suppose to stop the process of growing old, and thus making the average person become immortal. It failed to make everyone immortal, but it "certainly did what it was intended for," Zelos had said. "I'll never lose my beautiful face!" Typical moron. I bet if someone dug up his grave, his body would still be there, as fresh as the day he was buried.

Upon learning that the company producing youth gels was the Lezareno Company, Regal, the president of said company, arranged for the destruction of all youth gels and the production of them halted. "It would be bad to live in a world without elders," he claimed. I guess I'll remain looking like I'm twenty even when I knock on death's door.

Anyway, the only thing that consoles me is watching everyone's families continue to thrive. I've seen their kids grow and have kids of their own, then those kids have their own kids, and the cycle continues. I stopped counting at the fifth generation of kids. Even a smart person like me could get confused at so many kids and names. Despite that, I've made a mental note to remember their names, at least. Lloyd asked me to make sure nothing happened to their generations of children, and I'll go through with that request. I'm his best friend, after all.

I haven't seen Ratatosk, Lord of Monsters, ever since he closed the gate to the Ginnungagap, the link between the demonic realm and the human world, in order to prevent demons from entering the human world. I suppose I'll never see him again, due to Ratatosk locking himself inside there in the process. It'll be more than one thousand years until he is allowed to leave, and that will be after I die. That's too bad. I was starting to warm up to Ratatosk.

...

"Nice day, isn't it, Presea?" My voice sounded shaky as I looked up at the abundance of branches and leaves above me, breathing in the fresh air. "Right, Lloyd? Colette?"

I clenched my fists, trying to compose myself.

In the Gaoracchia Forest, I was sure that nobody could witness a lonely old man like me talking to trees. I know I should've been used to being alone, but every once in a while, I start to feel the five hundred and twelve years of knowledge and loss weighing down on me. Now I understand how bad it must be for Kratos and Yuan, who are over four thousand years old. The only thing I can do is to shake off that feeling and go on living. I'm living for my friends, so I'll remain optimistic for them. I just have to think of how proud they must be, living in my heart, and I'll feel better again.

Everywhere I turned, there were trees. Looking at them somehow made me feel at peace, which was the main reason why I took weekly visits to the forest. Well, that and because Presea used to cut down trees in this particular forest. Relaxed, I strode deeper into the Gaoracchia Forest, ignoring the lack of light. At least I could see, right?

I stopped walking as I spotted a familiar tree. Though, back then, it was just a tree stump.

Way back when, I gave a sharpening stone to Presea as a present in return for her own gift to me. She liked it—and even went to the trouble of bringing me to this forest to cut down a tree for me with her newly sharpened axe.

Smiling, I crouched to take a closer look at the small bear carving near the tree's base. The bear peered back at me, as if it were alive. Even though it was just a simple sketch of a sitting bear, it meant a lot to me. Not only because it was something my crush had given me, but because of what she told me afterwards. It was as if she knew that I would someday end up without friends, and prejudice siding against me, with only Raine as comfort. Presea gave me something else to take comfort in: my history.

"This is something to remember the past by," she'd said after finishing the carving.

Remembering those words, I gently felt the rough outlines of the bear's face with my hand, as if petting it. "Happy 400th birthday," I whispered, mostly to myself.

I laughed, thinking about how crazy I must have looked, petting a tree. I might have been, but I highly doubted it, seeing as I was sane enough to realize how foolish I looked.

Suddenly, a high-pitched scream erupted from my right. Alarmed, I pulled out a kendama from my pocket. (Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want. I use a children's toy as a weapon. What's wrong with that?)

I pushed aside a tree branch to reveal a small brown-haired boy cowering in fear as a wolf descended upon him. Before the wolf could snap the boy's head off, I did what anyone in my situation would do. I smacked the wolf with the ball on my kendama. When it turned and leapt at me, I flipped the kendama once and casted a quick spell. "Fireball!" I yelled, aiming my weapon at the monster. Three giant balls of flames erupted from the kendama and straight into its face.

Whining in surprise and pain, the wolf ran, forgetting about its meal.

"Are you oka—" Turning to the boy, I was greeted with a shock. With an eerie silence, I looked over him again and again, as if I was seeing a ghost. "L-Lloyd?" I asked. The kid looked exactly like a child version of my best friend, even wearing a red outfit similar to what Lloyd usually wore.

Upon closer inspection, I realized that his facial features were greatly differing from Lloyd's. His clothes consisted of a simple red long-sleeved shirt and black pants, much to my relief. It didn't look anything like Lloyd's clothing, aside from the colors. I must have mistaken him for Lloyd from the faint light.

He reminded me of Lloyd's son, who was a spot-on duplicate of his dad. Lloyd's son also had a slight resemblance to his mother, which was why he had blue eyes and blond hair, like her.

Recovering from his initial terror, the mysterious boy nodded, standing up.

I couldn't help but wonder what he was saying yes to. Was he okay or was he Lloyd? I assumed it was the former. I put away my kendama. "Alright, let's get you out of here." The boy nodded again and grabbed hold of my hand.

"Mister, why do you have white hair?"

"It's silver," I answered, surprised at the sudden question. "I was born with it."

As soon as we started walking, the boy slowly started talking. "Mister, what's your name?"

"Genis Sage. And what's yours?"

"My name's Lloyd!" He happily replied. My eyes widened. "My parents named me after the great hero of regeneration!" Oh, that explained a lot. I sighed in relief.

We continued walking in silence. After a few minutes, Lloyd asked yet another question. "Mr. Sage—"

I interrupted him. "You can call me by my first name. I don't mind."

"—Genis, did your parents also name you after a hero of regeneration? Mommy told me about someone named 'Genis Sage' in the story of World Regeneration. She said that he was a best friend of 'Lloyd Irving' and even helped him save the world! I forgot the other person who was his best friend, though. But I do remember that it was a girl!"

"Colette Brunel was his other best friend," I said. For someone his age, his memory was impeccable. Of course, it might have partly been that way because he must have looked up to his namesake. "And no, I wasn't named after Genis Sage."

"Whoa, really? So your mommy and daddy already wanted to name you Genis even before knowing about World Regeneration?" Lloyd looked at me with adoration in his eyes.

"Actually, if it turned out that I was a girl, my name would be Jean. If I was a boy, I'd be Genis."

"It's pretty lucky that you were a boy, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Since it usually took me about an hour to get in and out of the Gaoracchia Forest, I presumed that Lloyd would be talking for that long. I didn't mind. At least the kid was healthy enough to speak at all.

"Mommy also said that Genis Sage was a half-elf."

I held Lloyd's hand tighter, trying not to cringe. "Yes, you're right."

"Everyone says that half-elves are evil, but how did Genis Sage help save the world if he was evil? I don't think they're evil at all. Mommy said a 'Raine Sage' person was Genis Sage's sister and a half-elf too. But she was a healer that helped save the world, just like Genis Sage! Why would those people call half-elves evil if both of them are the reason why everyone is still alive? I don't get it at all." Lloyd shook his head sadly. "So, that's why...that's why I'll treat everyone the same, whether they're a half-elf, a human, or an elf! Nobody deserves to be called evil when they did nothing wrong!"

"Lloyd..." When I glanced at him, I saw a look of fiery determination in his eyes.

"My grandfather was the first one that told me about the story of World Regeneration. He said that his father taught him about it, and his father's father, and his father's father's father, and—"

"—I get the picture, Lloyd." I laughed, thinking about how many "fathers" he would have said had I not stopped him. The wisdom must have transferred from his grandfather, I concluded. "The world is full of people who are afraid of others that are different. In this case, it's the half-elves that are different."

"Who cares if they're different?" Lloyd frowned, scratching his head with his free hand, as if deep in thought.

I didn't reply. Even a child can see how immoral the prejudices against half-elves are. Of course, I knew firsthand that it was wrong. I wondered if Lloyd—_my_ Lloyd—would approve.

I used this silence to ponder a few questions. Was the kid really ignoring the fact that I was wearing the same blue outfit that I wore many, many years ago? Save for the fact that Raine sewed bigger ones for me; it looked exactly like my old attire. Or maybe the dim light really _was _shielding the truth? He knew what color my hair was, but that may have been because I actually leaned in to take a closer look at his clothes. Either way, I didn't plan on asking. As we walked, the only sounds I could hear were our footsteps and the faint rustling of trees.

The quiet lasted until I spotted light emitting from the forest's entrance from afar. Halting, I let go of Lloyd's hand. "You can go home from here."

Lloyd looked at me in confusion. "Huh? But Genis, aren't you coming with me?"

"I still have unfinished business here," I said.

With a smile, Lloyd grabbed my hand again. "I'll go with you! When we're done, you can take me home!"

I sighed dejectedly, gripping his hand. One would have expected a kid who was nearly mauled by a wolf to never want to see trees again. "Alright."

"Yes! Genis, you're the best friend ever!" He laughed.

I smiled, forgetting the fact that the kid was making me walk all the way back to where we started out from. Anyway, it wouldn't be much of a problem. After all, I _did_ travel around all of Sylvarant _and _Tethe'alla on foot with the great heroes of regeneration.

We strode past the bear carving's location. I came to the forest for a multitude of reasons. One was to see the carving, the other was to go tree-watching, and the last reason was the most important—to visit an old friend.

After a few hours of navigating through the woods, we finally reached our destination—the end of the forest; Altessa's house. The home was relatively small on the inside compared to Zelos' mansion. It was made out of rocks and looked as if it was carved out of the mountain around it, which I guessed was the case. It kind of reminded me of a cave, except it had more of a house-like appearance. Outside, a clothesline hung in the front yard, complete with clothing hanging on it.

I strode straight to the front door and knocked. Still holding my hand, Lloyd asked, "Where are we?"

"We're at Altessa's house. He's one of the two dwarfs that I have known for a very long time," I answered.

When the door opened, I was immediately greeted by laughter. "A _very_ long time at that."

Lloyd looked at Altessa, interested. "How long was it? Twenty?"

"Try four hundred," Altessa replied. Ever since I, along with Lloyd, Raine, Regal, Sheena, Presea, Zelos, and Colette had saved the world, Altessa seemed a little happier. I guess it was because his worries were revoked, since Cruxis, the bad group that he was forced to join, was eradicated by us. Presea, too, recovered—if only partly—from his experiments on her. His ultimate turning point was probably when Presea told him that he was forgiven for that incident. But, as I stated earlier, he only became _slightly _happier.

"F-four hundred..." Lloyd stuttered. He turned to me. "Genis, are you an elf?"

"I'm a half-elf."

Altessa's eyebrows went up. "Oh, so you haven't told the boy yet?"

"No," I said.

Lloyd looked at me thoughtfully. "Blue clothes...half-elf..."

I blatantly ignored him. "Altessa, do you have it?"

"Yes. You should wait here, I'll go get it." Altessa left the door open as he disappeared into his home.

"Grandfather told me half-elves live for about a thousand years, and World Regeneration happened four hundred years ago," Lloyd started. "Genis Sage was twelve when he saved the world. My grandfather said Genis Sage's friends were human. All of them—except two; his sister and his deceased friend, Mithos—were human. So he said Genis Sage was most likely still alive alongside his sister. He said...he said...Genis Sage was one of the loneliest half-elves in the world.

"'His friends all gone, feared because of his race...and yet, in spite of all that, everyone forgets that Genis Sage was, is, and has always been a hero. Not just because he was friends with the famous Lloyd Irving, but because he actually did something that helped humans, elves, and half-elves—he brought the two worlds together with a handful of other people while everyone else hid in their houses, shivering away, praying to a goddess who would not answer,'" Lloyd quoted. His grip tightened. "You're Genis Sage from the story, aren't you?"

There was a pause as he waited for my answer. "...Yes."

Altessa came back into view holding a wooden box. He handed it to me, saying, "Throughout the years, I haven't looked in it once, just as promised."

Holding the box in my free hand, I thanked him and led Lloyd back into the Gaoracchia Forest.

I used up another hour walking Lloyd all the way back to the entrance of the forest. "Where do you live?" I asked when we got there.

"What are you going to do with the box?" Lloyd ignored my question, smiling cheerily.

"Oh, this? I plan to place it next to a tree that's special to me."

"What's inside it?"

"A bear statue," I said.

Lloyd nodded, as if that explained everything. He laughed. "I know! We can have a picnic near the tree!"

"That means I'll have to go all the way to Altamira for ingredients..."

"Please, Genis?"

I sighed for the second time that day. "Fine."

"Yes! You're the best friend ever!"

It looked like knowing that I was a half-elf didn't change how he acted toward me, I realized. Kind of like my own Lloyd. I grinned. "Come on, Lloyd."

"Okay!"

We stepped out of the darkness of the Gaoracchia Forest together—just like old times. Lloyd, you didn't need to come back just to remind me that I wasn't alone, you know. I already remember. Friends stick together forever, even in death, right?

* * *

Even though this story says 'complete,' I'm planning to release an extra chapter in the next month, so be on the lookout for it!

Microsoft word says this was eight pages. Anyway, on a random note, anyone notice the beginning of this story had few dialogue, and then BOOM, tons of dialogue at the next part? Trolololololo...


	2. Best Friends

"Everyone should be considered friendly until proven wrong," Lloyd said, thoughtfully looking at the sandwich in his hands. "Grandfather said it when he was trying to explain to daddy that not all half-elves were bad, and that not all humans were good, either. But daddy didn't believe him, saying there is no such thing as good half-elves. I agree with grandfather, though. I hope daddy doesn't mind."

I hoped Lloyd's opinion wouldn't differ as he grew older. Although I had qualms about it, I was sure Lloyd wouldn't have a change of heart after everything he'd said. "Your grandfather seems like a wise person."

Lloyd nodded with a smile. "Yeah! 'An apple gel a day keeps the doctor away!'"

I laughed as he chomped on his sandwich enthusiastically. In more ways than one, it felt like I was talking to my very own Lloyd from the past. Messy eating? Check. Red clothing? Check. Happy-go-lucky personality? Check. "You do, too," I added as an afterthought.

Sitting cross-legged on the grass with Lloyd, I was silent as I listened to his truthful words, occasionally making remarks. The wooden bear statue sat at my left, next to the bear-carving tree. A constant breeze blew through, making it feel a little more welcoming despite being in the darkness of the Gaoracchia Forest. The more I spoke with Lloyd, the more I felt as if the world_ was_ changing for the better, just one tiny speck of consideration at a time.

I know it'll take more than my own lifespan to change the minds of most elves and humans, but I don't mind, not at all. Not being able to see that changed world is a little sad, but what makes me even more depressed is that Lloyd—the one I knew and the one I know now—and my other friends would most likely never see it, probably being able to only see a shell of what the world should be. But...who knows? Maybe we'll never get that world. One thing's for certain, though. There _will_ be a change...for better or for worse.

I grinned as Lloyd sipped his orange juice and proceeded to grab another sandwich from the box. Pausing, he glanced at the untouched sandwich on my plate. "Genis, why aren't you eating? Your cooking's too good to be wasted! Are you too sick to eat?"

"...No, I was just thinking..." I picked up the sandwich.

As soon as we finished the picnic, I packed up all the supplies in the box and set off for the entrance of the forest with Lloyd, leaving the bear statue with its counterpart. Hand in hand, we strode onwards.

When we got to our destination, I turned to Lloyd. "Where do you live?" I asked.

"Flanoir," he answered, his smile unwavering.

Flanoir?! It was all the way across the sea! I tried not to let surprise show on my face, ultimately failing. How did he end up at the Gaoracchia Forest if his home was in Flanoir? There wasn't anything of interest in this forest. As a matter of fact, many people feared if they entered, they wouldn't be able to find their way out. Besides, it was only a legend. When I asked Lloyd about it, he simply replied with a sheepish "I got lost."

Drifting on the shore lay a tattered small rowboat, which I presumed was how he'd gotten to the Gaoracchia Forest. And so, that was the reason why I had to take him via my own boat to Flanoir. Leaving Lloyd's transportation as is, I realized it would have been bad if Lloyd actually had to go back by himself, judging by the shape of his boat. Knowing his personality, he would have attempted to use it, only to sink in the middle of the ocean. I shuddered at the thought.

On the way there, he spoke up with a question in mind. Specifically, a favor. This time, it wasn't with the regular happy face he usually wore; it was something grimmer. Because of his serious expression, I unwittingly said yes before I knew what it was. With a reassured smile, he started the explanation. "You see..."

I listened intently as he informed me of his request.

"...and I need your help to prove it. I know it's risky, but it's something I really need to do. Please, Genis?"

I contemplated this matter for a second. His idea sounded like something the Lloyd that I knew would think of. It _did _sound risky, but I was going to support him regardless. I nodded. "Dwarven Vow #2: Never abandon someone in need." Lloyd's face brightened at the mention of his namesake's saying. "Besides, I already agreed to help."

...

Lloyd kept his hand grasped on mine as he guided me to Flanoir. After walking through the icy cold continent for a few hours, I wanted to roll into a warm bed and sleep for a couple hundred more years. The light clothing I wore didn't make things any better, the wind clawing at the exposed skin (which, admittedly, was a lot) and chilling me to the bone. I remembered my younger days when the cold wasn't so bothersome. Man, I'm getting old. "Just don't think about it," I muttered to myself, seeing my breath as I spoke.

Lloyd didn't seem to hear me as he happily dragged me past the entrance of Flanoir and straight to the inn. Although I only caught a glimpse of the city, what I saw was the same as how it used to look like years ago, only slightly changed. Even though it was the same old Flanoir, I was still amazed at the sight of it all. Nearly everything sparkled with snowy brilliance—the trees, the buildings, and even the ground I walked on.

It felt magical; the kind of magic that made me feel as if I'd see my friends loafing about in the inn just like old times—Zelos up to his usual antics; Sheena looking out for him; Regal commenting about the snow; Raine replying with a fundamental remark; Colette and Lloyd as happy as ever; and Presea just being her normal self. An unconscious smirk found its way onto my face as I thought about all the trouble Zelos usually got us roped into. Whether it was bar fights, surprise parties, assassin threats, or even arrest warrants, Zelos never failed to get us out of danger on the brink of time. He'd always insisted everyone should thank him for "saving your behinds." _I_, however, was always quick to point out how _he_ caused the dilemma in the first place and how _he_ should apologize for nearly causing our deaths.

As I approached the entrance, I noticed a 'closed' sign hanging on the doorknob. I hesitantly reached for the doorknob. "Is this really okay?"

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah, daddy's the innkeeper. He probably closed the inn to go look for me—or uh, preparing to go look for me. Besides, the inn hasn't really been having many customers."

When I opened the door, silence accompanied me. There didn't seem to be anyone there. There wasn't anyone behind the counter, either. It was odd seeing an inn being so empty. Lloyd's smile wavered as he let go of my hand. With a quick nod—the signal—he ascended up the stairs. I waited until I heard a door upstairs open. When I didn't hear it close, I took it as my chance to sneak upstairs as quietly as possible—according to the plan.

The stairs didn't seem to agree with the plan. Every time my foot pressed on a step, it let out a weak groan that disturbingly made me want to inch back outside to the frigid cold instead. Mentally, it was excruciatingly painful to go up the staircase. Leave it to the long string of different inn owners to never think of replacing it to a newly polished and _quiet_ one.

As soon I reached the top, I was immediately greeted by the familiar sight of twin doors standing side-by-side. I inched closer to the door that was left slightly open, seeing a burly man in a heated argument with Lloyd. Based on the information Lloyd gave me, I assumed the man was his father.

"...No, daddy! You're wrong! I know a half-elf killed mommy, but it's not right to judge a race based on one single person!" Lloyd placed a hand on his chest. "I'm also sure that grandfather's right. Nobody's perfect, nor are they completely unbiased, but what your current views on half-elves are pure racism!"

Lloyd's father's face hardened as he took a step toward his son. "Now, Lloyd. What did I tell you about listening to your grandfather? His ridiculous ideals are nonsense, and I'm sure the story about the World Regeneration is only a myth."

A myth? I raised my eyebrows. Through a small opening in the door, I could see Lloyd trembling. I wanted to somehow help him, but there was nothing I could do except stand and watch in silence, as per Lloyd's orders not to intervene. However, I was sure he would know what to do. I wasn't one to doubt the actions of my friends; not after what happened with Mithos... I shook my head, trying to erase those thoughts. _No, you _did_ believe in him_, Lloyd had said to me once before. _It was Mithos who betrayed your trust._

Trust... I trust you, Lloyd. As your best friend, I trust that you'll know what to do in a situation like this.

Almost as if he heard my thoughts, Lloyd clenched his fists. An expression of grim determination graced his face. "That's a lie! Today, I met Genis Sage and he wasn't anything like the half-elves you described! He never tried to torture me, or any of the other things you said half-elves would do to me!"

Lloyd briefly glanced in the direction I was in, knowingly nodding. His voice softened as he continued. "When I was attacked by a wolf, Genis saved me from being eaten. After that, he even went to the trouble of taking me home—there was no trace of malice in the way he acted." His eyes brightened as he finished his speech, closing with a final sentence. "He's the greatest best friend I ever had, half-elf or not." I listened in silence at this.

His father's angry gaze wavered as he took in Lloyd's words. "He...exists? The lonely one that dad always brought up? Wh-where is he now?" He grabbed Lloyd's shoulders and shook him.

Opening the door wider, I ignored the butterflies trouncing around in my stomach. "I'm right here," I announced. I wasn't sure what his reaction would be—it was unlike me to do something without being sure about the outcome. Heh, even while in the grasp of death Lloyd can still influence me to do something spontaneous. My nervousness disappeared as I dared a small smile.

Lloyd's father abruptly turned toward me, taking his hands off Lloyd. A look of awe crossed his face as he examined my clothing. As soon as I stepped into the room, Lloyd's father ran at me with full speed. Because of my slow reflexes, I didn't have time to react. I was even more surprised when I felt his embrace. It was like any other hug—warm and comforting; which made it even more surprising.

Stiffly standing still, I looked past his father at Lloyd. When he met my gaze, Lloyd rubbed his shoulder and grinned reassuringly, as if telling me not to worry. He gave me a thumbs up.

Breaking away from his hug, Lloyd's father nodded. "Thank you," he said. "I had my doubts about the world regeneration, but you've cleared any I already had. I wish I believed Lloyd the first time around." He laughed sheepishly, displaying a huge grin. "And from my dad's descriptions of you, I figured a hug was due. Sorry if that was unexpected."

"...Thank you, too." It was a little odd seeing Lloyd's father serious at one moment and cheerful the next. I could tell he was an honest person, admitting his mistakes whenever he knew he was wrong. I wondered if Lloyd got his personality from him. Because I couldn't think of anything else to say, I nodded, a slow smile appearing on my face. I opened my mouth and said, "I'd like to stay at the inn today."

"Sure thing, Mr. Sage! You're the first customer today."

Lloyd's face brightened even more at this. "So you won't ban half-elves from staying here anymore?"

"Why should I, when I finally know that there _are_ half-elves like Mr. Sage? Just from seeing him here, I know there are half-elves out there who want equality. Not all of them are like that murderer half-elf who killed your mother and yet once called himself my friend. I was crazy for banning the inn from them, thinking that I'd never meet a good half-elf like from the stories."

...

At the counter downstairs, I paid for my room, declining the offer of liquor. Although it was a long time ago, I couldn't really forget what happened when Zelos drank too much. That incident caused us to pay over five hundred thousand gald in damages. I could almost hear the commotion that he'd caused ringing in my thoughts.

Lloyd's father was wiping the table when I spoke up."Can I ask you a question?"

"Yes?"

"How did you know Lloyd wasn't lying when he talked about meeting me?"

Lloyd's father paused as he looked at me thoughtfully. "Because Lloyd was not one to lie when talking about prejudice. It's how he has always been; seeing into people's hearts, understanding things that I didn't, and most importantly, trying to help me understand what he saw in those hearts. Unfortunately, I didn't listen."

"I see."

When the conversation was over, I went outside to where Lloyd was. Sitting on the steps, he fiddled with something that looked like wood. I couldn't be sure, due to its small size. I sat down next to him. "What're you doing?"

Lloyd opened his fist, showing me a block of wood. It resembled a bear...that recently got itself mangled by another animal. The head was shaped oddly, complete with lopsided arms and legs. In short, it looked like my first bear carving—terrible. Lloyd looked up at me. "I know it's bad, but I wanted to give you something to as thanks. I never would have had the confidence to stand up to daddy without you or grandfather watching. And because of you, daddy's letting half-elves stay at the inn again." He rubbed his nose. "Besides, that wooden bear in the forest...it was given to you by someone special, right?"

I looked away. "Yes."

"That person was Presea Combatir...right?"

"Yes."

Lloyd thoughtfully scratched his head. "Presea Combatir was a victim of something called an Exsphere. She was supposed to die a slow death, living as an empty person without feelings. But Lloyd Irving and his friends created a Key Crest, saving her from suffering. When that happened, she got back to her senses, but only to learn that her whole family was dead, even her little sister. Ozette, her hometown, was burned to cinders afterwards. Even though all of that happened, she still helped you and everyone else join the two worlds, Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. Presea Combatir; a good fighter, a loyal friend, and your—"

"A-anyway..." I interrupted him, trying not to blush. "I know you'll grow up to be a good person, too. Just like Lloyd, Colette, Sheena, Raine, Regal, and Presea."

"Genis, you forgot the Great Zelos!"

"Heh, I guess I did."

I was silent for a moment before I started speaking again; this time with a quote. "'I want to prove to daddy that one person can't represent a whole race—that there _are_ such things as good half-elves." I ruffled his hair as he met my smile with his own. "...and you did just that. Even without my help, you did just fine. I'm proud to be your best friend, Lloyd." With my other hand, I reached for my heart. "You too, Lloyd...my first best friend."

Directly after saying this, I could faintly hear someone speaking from inside the inn. The voice sounded like it was coming from the second floor. "It's funny how I spend years hoping to meet a legendary man like him, and Lloyd goes and stumbles across him by accident. It truly is a miracle in its own way."

* * *

Were you put off by the many uses of dialogue _this_ time?

When I was asked what age the other Lloyd was, I simply replied with the following:

"His age is whatever the reader thinks it is. This story is based on creativity and the image in the reader's mind. It's not designed to give you a really clear look on the future of the Symphonia world; it's designed to be vague. Although I revealed much, I only revealed a little. Get where I'm going with this?

Seriously though, this story is just to pave some possibilities in the future; to make the reader think, 'Hmm, I wonder what the Symphonia world will look like afterwards in this story?' To cut things short, I just really enjoy having tales where the reader has lingering questions about what happens next-even after a story has finished. Oh, did I go off topic? Sorry, I tend to do that a lot."

Anyway, all this writing about racism is making me tired. I'll go catch up on new chapters of stories I have missed tomorrow. And yes, this means that I have ignored the internet for half a month. Which didn't help AT ALL, because I was promptly distracted by video games instead. Now you can shoot me for not writing a sequel that is half as long as the first chapter. Shoot away.

Oh! And if you're wondering what Lloyd was going to say before Genis interrupted him, then you're out of luck. It's up to you to decide. I'd like to hear what your imagination thinks in the reviews section!

"...Presea Combatir; a good fighter, a loyal friend, and your—"

-insert line here-

I was also supposed to include this piece of dialogue in the story, but it somehow got cut. I'll just leave it here.

**"In the hearts of all living beings lies darkness. Different kinds of darkness exist—small, large, dark, and darker. This darkness is blind to race, infecting all. We either choose to hide the darkness in our hearts or flaunt it to the world. But in reality, it's really how much darkness people let in is what truly defines a person's personality."**

Since it was never included, I s'pose I can explain what the hay it actually means.

I'll take a character from Symphonia for an example. Colette seems like a nice choice. She had the burden of Sylvarant's future on her shoulders but showed next to no sadness; always wanting to cheer others up rather than herself.

Let's bring in the piece of dialogue now. 'The darkness' refers to the burdens of one's life. Not letting that burden weigh you down brings you closer to the metaphorical light, and thus, highlights who you are underneath your appearance. In Colette's case, it means that her personality is of the caring type—to the point of sacrifice. Although a lot is on her mind, she buries it beneath the smiles of ones closest to her. I'd say those are the things she uses to shut out the feeling of hopelessness; that she would actually save many lives with her own. Everyone shuts out darkness with something; not necessarily with other living things. Perhaps a stuffed animal that used to guard your bed each night and accompany you through thick and thin—a dog or cat?  
Shifting your mind to madness simply because you feel overwhelmed by whatever your burdens are...that is simply the mark of insanity.

Well, I apologize for that previous paragraph taking up unwanted space, but I felt you readers should be enlightened on what my thoughts of my own invented quote. Here's a question to see if you actually read it:

What would you consider your anchor to light?


End file.
